Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-24
s Sensible South.

The South has not asked Tor the return OF
her captured battle flags. Let that fact be
remembered iastingly to her credit. If the
legislatures OF her several States had ap-
pealed TO Congress or the President for the
performance of that act of courtesy, their
petitions might have been construed and
criticised as q desire to perpetuate the rank
ling memories of defeat This view Of the
case might have been unjust, but would
surely have been entertained by the Grand
Army of the Republic, Our large exchange
list includes sill the principal Southern pa
pers. We can certify chat not one Of these
has suggested the issuing OF that order for
the restoration of battle flags, which has
been so promptly and wisely followed by its
cancellation The meteorite which was re-
ported TO have fallen in Western State
some Gays ago did not cause more astonish-
ment among the farmers of the Vicinage
than the promulgation of this order among
those Southerners who are living wholly in
the present and trying very hard TO forget
the past. They are too much preoccupied
with their promising crops, their mine
openings, their new foundries and factories,
their real estate speeulations, 10 take any
interest in sentimental questions. They
have as little time for sentiment as for sec.
tionaism. Business is the consuming pas
sion of the South Just now. She leaves the
North to excite herself over the disposition
CT relics of bygone age, while she concen.
trates all her own interest and energies on
practical ami living Issues.
We cannot state this fact too emphatical
IL, for the tone Of some Of cur Northern
contemporaries shows that they do not yet
appreciate the peaceful, passive and con-
tented feelings OF the South in relation to
union and brotherhood. They have seized
upon this "battle flag incident" as the sem
satiCn Of an hour is called for want of bet.
ger name, TO say things about the South
which were perhaps true enough at the
close OF the civil war, and before time had
begun TO do its healing work, but which are
wholly inapplicabe now.
That man must be unwilling to lCol truth
III the face who cannot see that the South
is today as truly part of the Union, one
and inseparable, not only geographically
and politically, but in the hearts and minds
of her people, as the North or the West. IF
sd intelligent, impartial judge should care.
fully study The tendencies OF sections, as
exhibited by many signs and tokens since
1870, he would look for the next movement
of dissatisfaction and revolt TO the West
and not to the South. One thing is certain.
The South will not again, in our day, at
tempt to shape the policy Of the Federal
Government The period Of her ascendan-
cy is passed. Hencef0rth she will co-ope.
rate less ambitiously and more happily
with the other great divisions of the repub-
lie.
But it Is now probable that the mighty
West will develop sectiOnalism more and
more intense. II there is any danger of dis
integration it may be looked for in that
quarter 1t seems TO be now only q ques-
ton of time when the Western States will
have working mAjorties in both houses of
Congress New States are being rapidly
carved out of Western territories, and before
many years they will equal, ii they do not
outnumber, the States which may properly
be classified as Northern and Southern. 1t
may be expected that these Western States,
majority of the Electoral College. From
that day forth, if united, they will own or
control Presidents as we'll as Congresses.
We do not speak of these indications in
the spirit of al alarmist. No man of sense
will take fright or borrow trouble from a
possibility now so far removed as the tri-
umph Of Western sectionalism over the feel
ings and interests of the North and South.
Fit is absurd to attach any present import
ance 10 those signs OF sectional ambition
which are cropping out in the West, it is
even more foolish 20 persist in imagining
that the South is dreaming Of aught else
than sincere aud hearty concurrence with
both the North and West in all that can pro-
mote the common good.-N. Y. Journal Of
Commerce.